HIGHLANDS TRIBES TOUR 11 nights - $2170

September 10th to 17thHighlights: Mt Hagen for 2 nights with its amazing birdlife and the Melpa people, Asaro Mudmen village stay for 2 nights with private Sing-Sings culminating at the spectacular Goroka Highlands Cultural show, the biggest and best Sing-Sing of the year, with three nights in Goroka.

This is an escorted tour, escorted by Best of PNG’s owner and professional photographer Christopher Bartlett. We meet at Port Moresby airport (pre-tour accommodation ca be arranged) and fly to Mt Hagen for two nights to discover Western Highlands culture and have a full day looking for Birds of Paradise. With luck we may see half-a-dozen-species. Next up is the Asaro valley, a four-hour ride away along the winding and picturesque Highlands Highway, where we will have two days of cultural activities with the Asaro Mudmen including a bride price simulation, the festivities at the hand over of the dowry, how to make a “mumu” (an earth pit hot stone oven), bow and arrow shooting, a mud mask making demonstration, swimming in the Asaro River, visiting the vegetable and coffee gardens, a sacrificial site, and a cave hide-out. We also see three different Sing-Sing performances. Accommodation for two nights is in a lodge built by the Asaro in their village. The Asaro village guest house has twin and double rooms, 24-hour electricity, male and female “long drop” toilets, and three rainwater showers. Water can be heated for showers. On the Friday we are dropped off in the late afternoon at our accommodation in Goroka.

The climax of the trip is on the Saturday and Sunday with up to 150 tribes gathering in a large field for the Goroka Festival. In the adjacent field there is a very interesting agricultural fair showcasing cash crops that grow well locally to encourage the locals to farm on a greater scale. There is also a stage with a music concert and a number of food stalls. Large numbers of locals attend; this is still an event for the locals and tens of thousands turn out, compared to less than 400 tourist attendees. On Saturday and Sunday morning, from 9 AM, you can wander round the field freely, taking photos and video, talking as the tribes file into the field. Once all the tribes are in, the main gates are opened to the locals around midday.

On the Monday morning we are transferred to the airport for our flight back to Port Moresby. $2170 USD per person sharing. Includes all meals except at Goroka, and includes internal flights, show entry, transfers, Sing Sings.